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West Fargo man accused of leaving dogs in garage without food or water for weeks

West Fargo man accused of leaving dogs in garage without food or water for weeks

DL News Staff Detroit Lakes Online

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crime A West Fargo man is accused in Cass County District Court of storing two dogs in a sometimes sweltering garage littered with feces without food or water for more than two weeks.
Jason Daniel Weisgerber, 25, faces one count of mistreating or abandoning animals.
Based on an investigation by the West...
Detroit Lakes, 56501

Detroit Lakes Minnesota 511 Washington Avenue 56501

2013-03-05 08:46:44

A West Fargo man is accused in Cass County District Court of storing two dogs in a sometimes sweltering garage littered with feces without food or water for more than two weeks.

Based on an investigation by the West Fargo Police Department, authorities believe the dogs were left in the garage without food or water from about June 4 to last Friday, when officers removed the animals while executing a search warrant, said Tanya Johnson Martinez, an assistant Cass County state's attorney.

Photos in the court file show feces just outside of the garage. Authorities theorize the feces was pushed out by the dogs through a 2-inch gap between the bottom of the garage door and the driveway.

An officer first went to Weisgerber's home at 1848 12th St. E. on June 4 after receiving a complaint that the dogs had been left in the garage without food or water for three days, court records state.

The temperature was in the mid-80s, according to an officer who made two stops at the home that day.

The officer could not find Weisgerber and a call from the officer to Weisgerber's phone went directly to voice mail, court records state.

The officer said a message was left for Weisgerber.

Court records state that one of the people who complained to police about treatment of the dogs passed water to the animals through the gap beneath the garage door.

Court documents state officers could smell feces from outside the garage.

Martinez said the animals are being cared for at the West Fargo Animal Hospital, which serves as the city pound.

She said prosecutors filed a motion seeking custody of the animals, adding that Weisgerber has indicated he will try to get them back.

The matter will come before a judge at a hearing set for this morning.

The charge Weisgerber faces is a Class A misdemeanor.

A group called North Dakotans to Stop Animal Cruelty is circulating petitions that would place on the ballot a measure making the most extreme cases of animal cruelty in the state a Class C felony.